It's not often a sitting CEO has the PR department issue a statement about possible employment with another company but that's just what Jason Kilar did Friday when Hulu sent out a statement responding to reports that he was the last candidate standing between Ross Levinsohn and the job of Yahoo CEO:

"As has been reported, Jason Kilar has been a focus of the Yahoo CEO

search committee. He has graciously declined to be considered."

Kilar's statement confirmed what paidContent reported earlier: the Hulu CEO was not in the running. But the wording was murky enough to leave room for speculation: was he a finalist who withdrew? Was he offered the job and didn't take it? Did he ever get to third base? My vote: it never got to offer stage,

The rarity of the statement aside, use of the word "graciously" to describe the person having it sent out rang a little off. (It reminded me of the New York delegate to the Second Continental Congress in 1776 who constantly abstains "courteously.")

But the decision to conduct a search left its probable CEO, who was in the running last time when Thompson was hired from eBay and PayPal, open to moves that suggest he might not be the first choice yet again -- that he might only get the job because Kilar didn't want it.. Not an ideal situation.